Snap-hook



(No Model.)

A.,RYAN. SNAP HOOK.

No. 603,288. Patented May 3, 1898'.

U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

- ANDREW RYAN, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MINNESOTA.

SNAP-HOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 603,288, dated May 3, 1898.

Application filed arch 24, 1897- Serial No. 628,943. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW RYAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Itasca and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Snap-Hooks, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention consists in the construction of a snap-hook, and particularly in the construction of a guard for the mouth of the hook to prevent the accidental displacement or disengagement froin the hook of the link or other device with which the hook is engaged, and particularly in the construction of this guard, so that it will stand the rough usage to which it is subjected and so that it will meet the exigencies of such use and at the same time permit the rapid and easy disengagement of the link from the hook, all as more fully hereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of my improved hook, showing the guard inits closed position. Fig. 2 is an end elevation showing the guard in its open position.

A is a hook; B, the shank or stem thereof, which I have shown as terminating in an eye C.

The hook as I have shown it tapers gradually from the point, enlarging to the stem, the point of the hook being located at one side of the body of the stem.

D is a spring-tongue secured to the side of the hook or to the stem, so as to be out of the way of the devices which are engaged with the hook. This spring is secured at its outer end to the stem and at its upper end is provided with a vertical extension E, which connects into or is secured to a block F. This block consists of the guard-section proper, a,

of, which is adapted to strike against a lug eration is as follows: Toengage the link with the hook the operator presses the end of the link against the side of the guard-block, which moves it laterally against the tension of the spring D to form an opening, as shown in Fig. 2. The side motion of the block is limited by the lug c striking the stop or shoulder 01, as likewise shown in Fig. 2. As soon as the link is engaged in the hook the spring will carry the guard-block up to its initial position and prevent the accidental disengagement of the link therefrom.

A somewhat similar construction is shown in my Patent No. 479,465; but in practice it was found in that construction that the guard was so light that it would become broken, and there being nothing to limit its side motion the spring or the guard would be broken off. By making the block on the end of the spring practically a complementary extension of the hook itself the danger of breakage of the guard is entirely overcome, and it also enables me to make a lug on the guard and a stop on the stem of sufficient strength to resist such usage as these parts will usually get, and by making the extension I) on the guard-block extend beside the lug or stop at such extension acts to protect the lug from breaking in usage by blows, &c., to which the device may be subjected.

This construction forms a practical device suited to the uses to which such heavy hooks are subjected in heavy hauling or teamingsuch, for instance, as in logging camps, &c.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a hook the combination with the hook proper and its shank and stem, of a springtongue secured thereto, a block secured to the spring-tongue and supported on the stem and movable transversely to a longitudinal plane including the hook proper and stem and adapted normally to close the opening between the hook and the stem, a lug on the block, and'a stop on the stem against which the lug is adapted to strike to limit the side motion of the block in opening the hook.

2. In a snap-hook, the combination with the hook proper and its stem, of a spring-tongue secured on the side of the stern, a block secured to said spring-tongue and supported on the stern and movable transversely to a 1ongitudinal plane including thehook proper and the stem and adapted normally to close the opening between the hook proper and the stern, a stop on the stern, a lug on the block adapted to strike against the stop on the stern,

said block Working beside said stop on the in stem and constituting a protecting means therefor, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ANDREXV RYAN.

\Vitnesses:

OSCAR S. MATHER, F. P. SHELDEN. 

